The Warriors provided several highlights in an incredibly exciting NBA All-Star Saturday night.
Depending on who you ask, the events of NBA All-Star Saturday night are often more highly anticipated than the All-Star Game itself, and this year, the Warriors and the rest of the contest participants did not disappoint.
Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry combined to create the co-highlight of the night in the Three-Point Contest, as Thompson edged out reigning champion Curry in the Finals to become the first pair of teammates in NBA All-Star history to win consecutive Three-Point Contests. Thompson and Curry finished with the two best scores in the first round with 22 and 21, respectively. Three other participants tied with 20 in the opening round, and rookie Devin Booker eventually joined the Splash Brothers in the finals after winning the tiebreaker shoot-off with a score of 12. Booker went first in the final round, and set the bar with a score of 16, but that proved to be far too little to win. Curry went next and put up the highest score of the competition to that point in the night with 23, setting the mark for Thompson to beat. Thompson started his final round off slowly, but caught fire as the round went on and made all five of the money balls in the final rack to catch and surpass Curry with a score of 27 to take home the crown. Thompson’s score of 27 ties the highest score ever in the history of the event since the inclusion of the money ball, set by Curry just last year.
Earlier in the evening, Draymond Green made his first ever All-Star Saturday night appearance in the Skills Challenge, but was eliminated in the first round by eventual champion and rookie sensation Karl Anthony-Towns. But, Green didn’t go home empty-handed. Actor and comedian Kevin Hart challenged Green to a three-point contest of their own, to which Green accepted and eventually prevailed.
The final event and other co-highlight of the night was the Slam Dunk Contest featuring reigning champion Zach LaVine of the Minnesota Timberwolves. LaVine and Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic advanced to the final round, and after multiple tiebreakers, LaVine narrowly edged Gordon to retain the title.